Chuck Creators Share Their Favorite Episodes

As the spy series Chuck rides off into the sunset, we grilled cocreators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak for their favorite eps.

Chuck Versus Santa Claus(Season 2, Episode 11)This episode comes from our two great inspirations: the holiday season and Die Hard. We love them both equally. The story line — a hostage crisis in the Buy More — was perfect because it brought all of our characters into one place, letting them play off each other and be a part of the spy action. Nothing makes us happier than seeing Awesome [Ryan McPartlin] and Big Mike [Mark Christopher Lawrence] save the day. Also, the scene where Chuck [Zachary Levi] watches girlfriend Sarah [Yvonne Strahovski] shoot an unarmed Fulcrum agent in a Christmas-tree lot represented a turning point in their relationship. Chuck was in love with a very dangerous spy.

Chuck Versus the Colonel (Season 2, Episode 21)Featuring one of our best set pieces — the air strike at the abandoned drive-in theater — and two of our favorite guest stars: Scott Bakula and Chevy Chase. And it's also full of great moments for our characters: Casey [Adam Baldwin] gets promoted to colonel and tears a radiator from the wall of a motel room; Morgan [Joshua Gomez] quits the store and whisks Anna away to Hawaii. Then there's Chuck and Sarah waking up in each other's arms and... well... they have a nice moment. Of course, maybe most pivotal of all, Awesome finds out that Chuck is a spy, our first move toward bridging Chuck's two lives.

Chuck Versus the Honeymooners(Season 3, Episode 14)Here at Chuck, we'd split every season into two parts. The first part is the original order. The second is the "Oh, crap, they ordered more episodes. How do we handle the huge cliff-hanger at the end of 13?" This episode was the first after Chuck and Sarah officially became a couple. Now, it can be a risky move for any show to unite its lead couple; you need to prove they'll be as much fun to watch together as when they were gazing at each other longingly across the courtyard. We, though, had a secret weapon. Two, actually. Zac and Yvonne. In this episode — a mission on a train outside Paris — they proved they could play a kick-ass couple who could also be in love. They're charming and funny and romantic, and they proved we could propel the show in a whole new direction.

Chuck Versus Phase 3 (Season 4, Episode 9)Sarah, "The Giant Blonde She-Male of Thailand," fights her way through the Thai underworld in order to save Chuck. This episode is a fantastic showcase for Yvonne, who gave her all in some of the most grueling fight scenes we've ever done. Amazingly, she's incredibly beautiful throughout. [And] it's her dramatic performance that ties this action epic together. She's a woman who will stop at nothing to save the man she loves.

Check out this fan-made video below thanking the cast and crew of Chuck for their work over the past five seasons.